May 28, 2004 12:01 AM

Broken: ATM's changing buttons

Adrian Howard writes:

The Yes/No buttons on my local ATM (Barclays Bank in the UK) switch positions depending on the operation. I'm always pressing the button that two screens ago was "Yes," and now, for no obvious reason, is "No".

There's sort of a logic to it, if the 'default' button is always on the left, say, or the least 'destructive' option. I use Barclays' ATMs pretty regularly, and I have to say I've never noticed that.

One of the other (I think it's Lloyds) has an annoying layout where the depth of the screen bezel is enough to move the buttons all down one notch if you're tall though. Lloyds always used to have that bizarre visor-view ATM though, so I suppose they don't know better.

Posted by: Howie at May 28, 2004 03:57 AM

I think that is TSB bank as they have funny layouts. I think we should call them "The Stupidiest Bank", that is what "TSB" stands for.

Posted by: Gers at May 28, 2004 03:01 PM

The least destructive button is on the left be default? There seems to be a couple of things wrong with this model.

Firstly, the concept of "default" is the action taken in lieu of an explicit choice. In the case of ATM buttons, you must always choose, so having a "default" button is somewhat pointless. Default buttons on computer UIs are generally used with keyboards where pressing the "enter" key causes the default actiont to be taken in lieu of explicitly clicking on one of the choices.

As for putting the default on the left side of the screen, the majority of the population is right-handed. Wouldn't it then make sense that if one were to swap the buttons about in a misguided desire for a default, placing the default on the right side makes sense?

I'd say this button placement is broken as designed.

Posted by: Carlos Gomez at May 31, 2004 08:52 AM

I'm more interested in what they print on the "Advice Slip" you get with the cash...

"Penny saved is a penny earned."

"Your balance is low. Don't take out any more money until payday!"

Posted by: edith at June 3, 2004 03:04 PM

this is not broken because it forces you to think about which button you are pushing before you make a mistake, especially important when dealing with one's bank accounts. you're welcome.

Posted by: max at June 21, 2004 04:37 PM

No, it is broken. You know what you are going to pick when you get the that screen and don't need to have to worry about which side the "yes" button or the "no" button is on. Having to figure out which side which button will be on will just confuse people more.

Posted by: eric at July 3, 2004 03:31 PM

It is broken, very very broken.

Posted by: Bill at August 11, 2004 03:58 AM

Max sez:

> this is not broken because it forces

> you to think about which button you

> are pushing before you make a mistake,\

> especially important when dealing with

> one's bank accounts. you're welcome.

Thanks! Hadn't considered how dangerous consistency is...

We'll shortly be sending you a new keyboard for your computer, which uses image technology for the keys so the letters can move around at random. This helps you to think carefully about what you type before making a mistake. Wouldn't want you to send -mail and comments that weren't carefully thought out...

No, that's OK, no need to thank us...

Hopefully other ATM programmers will take note -- it's not enough to simply swap the button positions on the screen, the buttons should appear in different places on the screen, and preferably stay in motion so the user must chase the button around to press it.

Before this, I might've thought that having to carefully read to figure out where "Yes" or "No" had migrated to might distract me from what the question is. Whew, glad I'm straightened out now.

Posted by: eh? at September 1, 2004 02:19 AM

This is broken. lets say the ATM is giving you info on your account and it says press yes if this info is correct and you keep preesing yes then you come up to a screen that says 'do you want to renew your account' yes=renew, no=delete account and all the money in it than all of a suddon the no and yes positions change and you hit NO. and you hAD OVER $1,000,000 IN YOUR ACOUNT.

Posted by: unknown at March 25, 2005 01:43 PM

Um... what about the braille on the buttons. How is a blind person going to read the screen.. and what does switching the convention of yes no location do to them?

I am assuming there is braille on the ATM... because they all do.. without reason.

Sorta like how you have signs on the door to the bathroom with braille on them... how did the blind person make it to the door in the first place?